(Newser)
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Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was likely struck by multiple "high-energy objects from outside the aircraft," causing it to break up over eastern Ukraine, a preliminary report into the disaster concluded today. The report by the Dutch Safety Board stopped short of saying the Boeing 777 was shot down by a missile, but its findings appear to point to that conclusion. It also didn't say who might have been responsible. The Boeing 777 suddenly plunged out of the sky July 17 over pro-Russia rebel-held territory in Ukraine, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board. "The damage observed in the forward section of the aircraft appears to indicate that the aircraft was penetrated by a large number of high-energy objects," the report states.

Because of the ongoing conflict between pro-Russia rebels and Ukrainian forces, investigators from the board have not visited the fields where the wreckage of Flight 17 plunged to the ground. That likely contributed to the board's cautious assessment of what happened. "Detailed examination of the structural damage is ongoing," the report says. "Forensic examination will be performed if the wreckage can be removed." Investigators so far have studied photos of the crash site, radar data, and information gleaned from the downed jet's black boxes. The cockpit voice recorder "revealed no signs of any technical faults or an emergency situation," the report states. "Neither were any warning tones heard in the cockpit that might have pointed to technical problems."

One should consider that The MH 017 looked similar in it’s tricolor design to that of the Russian President’s plane. The plane with President Putin on board was at the same time ”near” Malaysia MH 017. In aviation circles “close” would be considered to be anywhere between 150 to 200 miles. I'm inclined to believe that the doomed plane is a result of failed assassination attempt on Putin's life.

Gueorgui Gueorguiev

Sep 9, 2014 9:08 PM CDT

Damage occurring in forward section of the aircraft would indicate to me, cannon fire from fighter jet. Missiles are normally targeting engines. The resulting findings only serve to reinforce the Russian claim about Ukrainian Air Force fighter jet in pursuit of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. If the Ukrainian Government had staged shooting down of the passenger plane, making it look like the work of the separatist, it will be just another low for pupped Government, claiming to protect its population while killing people of the land.